Smoking article support



1951 J. 1.. LINDSEY I 2,565,864

SMOKING ARTICLE SUPPORT Filed Aug. 5, 1945 JOHN L. LINDSEY INVENTOR.

5g 5 am /5 Attorneys.

Patented Aug. 28, 1 951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SMOKING ARTICLE SUPPORT ,Johnll. Lindsey, HoustomTex. Application August 3, 1945, Serial N0. 608,689

This invention relates to improvements ina'sh trays, and more particularly totrays of the type that include a rest or holder for cigarettes or cigars placed thereon whennot in use.

In conventional ash trays a lighted cigarette frequently becomes overbalanced after a period of free burning and falls, in many cases, upon surrounding surfaces with resultant injury to such surfaces as well as possible initiation of fire.

It is the primary object of the'pre'sent invention to provide a tray in which thepossibility of such overbalancing and consequent falling of the cigarette is minimized, such tray being so designed that, in event the cigarette falls, assurance is had that it will fall within the confines of the ash receptacle thereof.

Another obj ect isto provide a tray having rests or holders which engage the cigarette or cigar at point contacts only.

It is also an object to provide holders of such size and arrangement that a cigarette rests thereon with the burning end thereof elevated so that smoke generated during the free burning period will not pass through the cigarette with resulting deterioration in the smoking quality thereof.

A still further object is toprovide an ash tray which is so constructedthat it offers no opportunity for misplacement of a lighted cigarette thereon in a position that might result in dislodgement and falling to the surrounding surface.

The invention also adapts itself to various designs and sizes of ash trays of attractive appearance and yet capable of performing all required functions.

Still another object is to provide an ash tray which is simple and inexpensive to construct and easy to maintain in a sanitary and attractive condition.

The foregoing objects together with other objects and advantages will be more fully apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a perspective View of one embodiment of the invention designed for individual use;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the base or tray portion of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the clip end of the bridge for engagement with the supporting base;

Fig. 4 is a View of a modified form in which the base has a bottom opening to dislodge ashes into a lower container or receptacle;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment adapted for use with a plurality of cigarettes and/or cigar 2 claims. (01. -'131--2G0) The form of the inventionshown in Figs- 1 and 2 comprises a base l upon which is mounted aremovable bridge 2,-e'ach of a particular construction that will now be described.

The base I is elongated and is generally oval in'plan, having outer walls comprising sidewalls '3 and 4 which merge into spaced parallel end walls 5 and 6. The upper edges of the walls 5 and '6 lie in a horizontal plane, but intermediate these edges the side wall edges-are concave as indicated at 1, it being intended that this feature of con struction will serve a purpose that will presently appear.

Thebridge 2 comprises a strip ID of suitable material provided wi-tha hooked end H for engagement within a recess I2 inone end of the base l. The opposite end of the bridge, as best seen in Fig. 3, is flanged at I3 and thence directed successively inwardly and outwardly at 14 and -l5 to form a projection 1'6 which fits within the recess I2 in one of the end walls 5 or 6. Beyond the projection It the strip ID terminates in an upwardly extending portion I! which is rounded at its end at 18. It is intended that this end portion shall serve as a stop to limit the position of a cigarette placed upon a plurality of upstanding :holders 20, 2 and 22 on the bridge. At the same time, however, the rounded end I8 prevents the actual placing of a cigarette upon this portion of the device. To serve a similar purpose the strip 10 may be reduced in cross section at 23 and 24 adjacent the ends thereof and/or the upper surface of the strip is convex transversely so that a lighted cigarette cannot be laid thereon.

It is to be noted that the spaced supports or holders 20, 2| and 22 are of relatively thin material, and that their upper ends have outwardly converging surfaces 26 so that a cigarette positioned thereon will make point contacts only with the material of the supports. This minimizes chemical reaction resulting from rapid cooling and from condensation which takes place from rapid cooling. There is therefore a minimum likelihood that any deleterious effect upon the cigarette will occur from contact with the material of the support. Attention is also directed to the fact that these supports are successively increased in height so that a lighted cigarette placed thereon will have its burning end elevated. This minimizes the passage of the products of combustion through the cigarette during the period of free burning and hence avoids the undesired effects that would otherwise be produced.

Intermediate the holders 20 and 2| the material of the strip ID is displaced downwardly at 25 so that this portion of the bridge together with either of the holders 20 or 2| may be utilized as a support for a short portion of a lighted cigarette, and yet point contacts only will be made between the cigarette and the support therefor. Between the holders 2i and 22 there is provided a snufier 26 which is so constructed that ashes dislodged when extinguishing a cigarette will fall within the chamber 21 in the base I.

It is to be noted that the concave edges 1 prevent the combined use of the bridge 2 and the side or edges of the base as a support for a lighte cigarette.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 2, the inner walls of the base I taper downwardly toward a rela- 4 itself during the period of free burning, and also the hazard incident to such burning.

Broadly the invention comprehends a new and improved ash tray which provides these desired features and also overcomes difficulties incident to ash trays heretofore used.

What is claimed is:

1. In an ash tray, a bridge adapted to be removably positioned upon an ash receiving base. said bridge including at least one resilient detent portion to releasably engage a supporting base,

and said detent portion terminating at its outer en'd in an upstanding stop for limiting the outertively flat area 30 at the bottom thereof. In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4 this area i is cut away and a small closure 3| for the subbase 33 therebelow, is provided in its stead. This closure is of a flap type which may be opened by ;any c'onventiona1 means, not shown, so that the;sub-base 33 may serve as an ash collector. Thebase 33, isremovable from thebase lfto facilitate the cleaning, its connection to the base 'I being also conventional.

Itis intended that the inside walls of the chamber 21 shall be of such inclination anddepth that the ash of a burning cigarette will disintegrate as burning progresses and that the cigarette will therefore move downward under gravity into the chamber. ,By way of example, but not of limitation, the depth of theinside wallsis preferably equal to or greater than one-half the length of a standard cigarette and the walls are preferably inclined approximately 15 to the vertical.

In the .formof the invention shown in Fig. 5 the base |".iscircular and is provided with a plurality of recesses 12' in its outer wallsto re; ceive. the hooked end portions of the crossed bridge members of strip II). It seems apparent that each of the arms of the bridge assembly is similar in constructionto that above described and also that the releasable end portions of the bridge member are. similar in construction to the detail shown in Fig.3.v The foregoing discloses an ash tray of novel construction embodying features which minimize both the deleteriouseifects upon the cigarette most position of a cigarette placed upon the bridge.

2. In an ash tray, a bridge comprising an elongated strip adapted to be removably positioned upon a receiving base, upstanding holders on said strip having support surfaces of a configuration to provide point contacts with a, cigarette placed thereon, and said strip having displaced portions proximate at least one of said holders so thata portion of a cigarette may rest upon said displaced portions and one of said holders.

JOHN L. LINDSEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 200,083 Oviatt -1 Feb. 5, 1878 1,771,834 Backmeyer July 29, 1930 1,820,077 Larson Aug. 25, 1931 1,948,025 Currier Feb.,20, 1934 1,977,437 Gaynor Oct. 16,1934 1,994,933 Visser Mar. 19, 1935 2,047,786 Kuntz July 14, 1936 2,068,513 Reimer Jan. ,19, 1937 2,199,205 Litschgi Apr. 30, 1940 2,333,259 Litschgi -Nov. 2, 1943 2,424,710 Robert July 29, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number 7 Country Date 652,680 France Mar. 12, 1929 Great Britain Oct. 12, 1933 

